Blogger set Google 'trap' to warn Belle de Jour

Posted on 19 Nov 2009 at 10:54

The recent unveiling of infamous blogger Belle de Jour as scientist Dr Brooke Magnanti has caused quite a stir in the newspapers. The blog concerned her time working as a call girl was first published, then later turned into TV series Diary of a London Call Girl starring Billie Piper. But the story took an even more interesting twist yesterday

The Guardian reported yesterday that a British blogger had deduced the identity of Belle back in 2003.

The man, known only as Darren, had correctly concluded that it had to be "somebody who knew quite a lot about how UK blogging worked at the time", which wasn't a great deal of people back then. He had read some of Magnanti's scientific blogs, but it was a short fictional piece, posted here, that persuaded him he was right.

Darren decided not to reveal Belle's true identity, and instead set a trap to alert him to others who were nearing the truth. He did this by setting up a 'Googlewhack', creating the only webpage where the terms Belle De Jour and Brooke Magnanti sat side-by-side. He then monitored the page, checking the IP addresses of anyone who browsed to it.

For years there was barely any activity, with Darren presuming it was Belle herself, or other suspicious bloggers, entering the selected pair of search terms. Things changed recently, though, with hits from an IP address connected to Associated Newspapers, where the Daily Mail is based. He then contacted Magnanti to warn her that the game may be up.

Magnanti commented this week, "Darren's message convinced me it was serious." The blogger then went on to organise an exclusive with a rival paper, The Sunday Times.

Author: Seth Barton

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